North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], October 27 (ANI): Prahlad Das, the prime accused in the alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Gaighata in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, was killed in a police encounter during crime scene reconstruction in the early hours of Tuesday, according to police sources.
Police had taken Das to the spot to reconstruct the crime when he allegedly snatched a service revolver from a police officer and opened fire. A police personnel was reportedly injured in the firing, following which the police returned fire in self-defence, police sources said.
Das sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to Chandpara Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, according to the account provided by sources. The police have yet to issue an official statement on his death in the encounter.
The incident comes after the body of the 17-year-old girl was found behind a neighbour's house in Gaighata on Sunday. The body was reportedly found naked and mutilated, and the victim's family alleged that she had been raped and murdered. Police arrested Das, a relative of the family, on the same day in connection with the case.
The encounter site is around four kilometres from the Bangladesh border.
A forensic team, accompanied by a large contingent of Bongaon District Police, reached the encounter site to collect samples as part of the investigation.
The victim's father welcomed the police action but questioned whether it could compensate for the loss of his daughter. He also praised the Chief Minister and called for immediate encounters in similar cases.
"It is good that the Police did an encounter. But will this bring back my daughter? Still, whatever the Police did is good. Chief Minister has done a really good job. May no other parents ever have to go through what we went through. Police should do an immediate encounter in such cases," he said.
The victim's uncle also welcomed the action and thanked the Chief Minister and the administration for supporting the family.
"What happened is really bad. It is good that the encounter occurred. We never thought that this step would be taken so soon. I thank Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and the Administration for being with us and supporting us. We are happy. We have been receiving support of the Police," he said.
"She was my niece; she grew up before me. I am pained," he added.
Meanwhile, Democratic Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra criticised the encounter, alleging that the BJP was promoting an encounter-based approach in West Bengal.
"The BJP is not, in reality, a political party at all. It is a party of encounters," Mitra said.
"As you have been witnessing in UP for a long time, the same thing is now happening in Bengal," he added.
Mitra also questioned the BJP's claims of maintaining discipline within its ranks and not supporting criminal elements.
"Every day, their party president and top leaders claim that theirs is a well-trained, wonderful, and highly disciplined party—that they do not harbour bad elements or support criminals," he said.
"Because of these internal clashes, our state is going to be completely ruined," he added. (ANI)
17-year-old rape and murder case: Prime accused Prahlad Das killed in police encounter; victim's family welcomes action
